Finkelstein brothers square off in town tennis finals; O'Brien/Goodwin claim open doubles title

David Fierro

Updated 11:10 pm, Saturday, August 4, 2012

Robert Finkelstein during match against his brother, Adam, in mens 50 and over singles division in the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Adam Finkelstein serves against his brother, Robert, in the mens 50 and over match during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Adam Finkelstein serves against his brother, Robert, in the mens 50...

Robert Woodbury hits against Craig Schultz in the mens 35 and over singles match during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Adam Finkelstein competes against his brother, Robert, in the mens 50 and over division during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Robert Finkelstein, left, shakes hands with his brother, Adam Finkelstein, at the conclusion of the mens 50 and over sinels match that Adam won during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Craig Schultz serves against Robert Woodbury in the mens 35 and over singles match during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Meg DeCaro during her match against Rebecca Moore in the womens 35 and over singles division during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Meg DeCaro hits during her match against Rebecca Moore in the womens 35 and over singles division during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Robert Woodbury competes against Craig Schultz in the mens 35 and over singles match during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Rebecca Moore hits during her match against Meg DeCaro in the womens 35 and over singles division during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Tess Lamhaouar hits in her 12 and under singles match against Sarah Walker that she won during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Tess Lamhaouar hits in her 12 and under singles match against Sarah...

Tess Lamhaouar hits in her 12 and under singles match against Sarah Walker that she won during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Tess Lamhaouar hits in her 12 and under singles match against Sarah...

Chris Salisbury hits against Grant Wang in the 17 and under singles match during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Chris Salisbury hits against Grant Wang in the 17 and under singles...

Chris Salisbury hits against Grant Wang in the 17 and under singles match during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Grant Wang hits against Chris Salisbury in the 17 and under singles match during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Meg DeCaro hits during her match against Rebecca Moore in the womens 35 and over singles division during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

Rebecca Moore hits during her match against Meg DeCaro in the womens 35 and over singles division during the Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament at Binney Park in Old Greenwich, Saturday afternoon, Aug. 4, 2012.
Photo: Bob Luckey

The 50-and-over men's singles division title of the 2012 Greenwich Town Tennis Tournament was undoubtedly going to stay in the Finkelstein family.

Brothers Adam and Robert Finkelstein spent plenty of time on the tennis court together over the years, but they had never faced each other in a tournament.

That all changed Saturday however, as the Finkelsteins squared off with the winners' trophy at stake. And when it was over, little brother Adam had the final say in this sibling rivalry.

Adam Finkelstein posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over his brother Robert to capture the 50-and-over championship in the Town Tennis Tournament at steamy Binney Park. Robert Finkelstein claimed the 50-and-over town crown last summer, but it was Adam's turn Saturday.

"Robert is seven years my senior, so he ran me around the court when I was a kid," a smiling Adam Finkelstein said. "I was the little brother picking up the balls on the court. We've always had a little bit of a sibling rivalry."

Said Robert Finkelstein: "I encouraged my brother to play in the tournament this year, I knew he was a very good player. "He played terrifically today and he's really a great athlete. He was very steady today and deserved to win and I'm glad I asked him to play."

Born in Scarsdale, N.Y., the Finkelsteins both played tennis in college with Adam competing at Rogers Williams University and Robert playing at the University of Denver. The elder Finkelstein took the first game of the opening set, but Adam quickly responded.

"I played a little tentative at first," said the 51-year-old Adam Finkelstein. "He can be psychologically intimidating, so I knew I had to take one point at a time."

Eighteen years after winning the state and New England doubles titles at Greenwich High School, the duo captured the town men's open doubles championship. Overcoming the intense morning heat, O'Brien and Goodwin outlasted Craig Schultz and Scott Polkinghorne, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the title match.

Leading 3-2 in the second set, O'Brien/Goodwin converted a key break point to seize a 4-2 advantage. After holding serve, they broke, evening the match at one set apiece.

"They played very well in the first set and were hitting everything," Goodwin said. "Our younger legs helped us out as the match went on in the heat."

"We had a long three-setter last year with them in the semifinals, so we knew they were good players," O'Brien said. We got our footing a bit in the second set and just had enough to pull through and get it done in the third set."

O'Brien/Goodwin, who lost in the open doubles finals a year ago, decided to join forces again last year.

"We bumped into each other on the train last year and Terry asked me if I still played then we started playing last year," said Goodwin, who like O'Brien graduated from GHS in 1994. "We're playing a lot better than we did last year."

MEN'S 35-AND-OVER SINGLES

Schultz had little time to rest after competing in the men's open doubles final. Displaying his strong groundstrokes, Schultz recorded a 6-3, 6-0 victory against Robert Woodbury in the championship match of the 35-and-over singles division.

"It's very gratifying to win the title after playing on a hot and humid day," said Schultz, a native of Australia. "It was very hot out there, the heat radiated out from the ground."

Following a hard-fought first set, Schulz dictated the points in the second.

"It was a tussle early on," Schultz said. "We traded breaks early on, but I was able to close the first set out."

17-AND-UNDER SINGLES

Chris Salisbury, who enjoyed a successful freshman season on the Greenwich High tennis team this past spring, had his game in top form in defeating Grant Wang, 6-2, 6-2, for the 17-and-under singles championship.

Salisbury, a soon-to-be sophomore at GHS, knew Wang was going to give him a battle after facing him in earlier in the tournament.

"The first time I played him he was tough," Salisbury said. "He got a lot of balls back and he has a good serve. Today, I tried to move him around as much as possible."

Wang was a member of Greenwich's junior varsity tennis team last season. Salisbury spent most of his freshman season on the Cardinals playing first doubles -- a role he excelled at.

"I never played doubles before, so it was definitely different," said Salisbury, who plans on vying for one of the singles spots on the Cardinals next spring. "It helped my singles game too. My net game and serve improved."

MEN'S OPEN SINGLES

O'Brien was supposed to play Xiao Song in the championship match, but Song was unable to attend Saturday's match, so O'Brien won by a walkover.